Ros-Lehtinen Said She Opposed Taliban Deal in 2011

Receive the latest local updates in your inbox

This undated image provided by the U.S. Army shows Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. U.S. officials say the only American soldier held prisoner in Afghanistan has been freed and is in U.S. custody.

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) said Tuesday that she opposed the proposed prisoner swap to secure the freedom of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl in 2011 while she chaired the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

“I can reaffirm that I, and many of my colleagues, strongly stated our opposition to any deal for Sgt. Bergdahl that would in any way benefit the Taliban or jeopardize the safety and security of our brave men and women in uniform who placed their lives on the line day in and day out to protect their fellow servicemen and women, our country, and our national security interests,” Ros-Lehtinen’s office said in a statement.

Ros-Lehtinen also said she was “outraged and disgusted” that the White House had “legitimize Hamas” and “embolden the Taliban.”

Ros-Lethinen’s comments came on the same day Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker John Boehner said they were not told of the deal in advance by the White House. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was also not told about the exchange until Saturday.

The only Congressional leader told of the deal ahead of time was Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, according to Politico.

Published at 10:01 PM EST on Jun 3, 2014

News breaks at inconvenient times. Download one of the NBC6 mobile apps and have the news come to you. Watch live streaming newscasts, receive critical push notifications on the go and stay in touch with your city around the clock.